


Keeping Warm

by FutureAlien



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: (but he doesnt mean it), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Banter, Caring Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Fat Shaming, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 02:21:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21402565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FutureAlien/pseuds/FutureAlien
Summary: “I’m full,” Arthur declared the next morning, pushing his plate away.“What on earth are you talking about?” Merlin asked, motioning at the heaps of food still piled on it. “You barely ate anything!”The prince shrugged. “I’m done. You can have the rest.”In which Merlin wonders why the prince is suddenly so generous.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 880





	Keeping Warm

**Author's Note:**

> Finished this WIP real quick because WBT is going to take a little while longer, and I wanted to give you something to shorten the wait. This is just some short fluffy stuff. I think it's based on a Tumblr post but I can't find it anywhere so maybe I dreamed that. Let me know if you recognise something so I can give credit where it is due!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this!!

“You’re getting fat, sire.”

Arthur let out an indignant huff. “Am not!”

Merlin knew Arthur could be obstinate, but there really was no denying it this time. The tunic that had fitted the prince perfectly no more than a week ago was now clinging tightly to his body. Not that Merlin complained – it accentuated Arthur’s toned chest in a way that made Merlin’s throat dry. Despite obviously gaining weight, Arthur did not look anything other than his obnoxiously muscled self.

Arthur must have seen him looking, because he cast a glance at the tunic, too. He groaned.

“Fine,” he muttered, “maybe I did gain some… volume. But all of it is musculature.” The last words were accompanied by a particularly nasty sneer in his servant’s direction. “I am NOT getting fat.”  
“Whatever you say, my lord,” Merlin said, bowing mockingly. When he straightened his back again, the tunic hit him right in the face.

Peeling the garment away from his face, Merlin scowled at the prince, who merely smirked.

“If you don’t want it, I can give it to someone else,” Arthur offered, knowing full well Merlin would never turn down free clothes, especially if they were made of the softest wool the kingdom had to offer.

Merlin huffed, pressing the fabric to his chest. “Clotpole.”

*

“I’m full,” Arthur declared the next morning, pushing his plate away.

“What on earth are you talking about?” Merlin asked, motioning at the heaps of food still piled on it. “You barely ate anything!”

The prince shrugged. “I’m done. You can have the rest.”

Merlin eyed him suspiciously, though he did take the plate. “Are you certain? You know you get grumpy when you don’t eat enough, and I don’t feel like mucking out the stables again.” He did start eating, though, a tentative eye stuck on the prince’s face.

“I was just thinking that maybe you were right,” Arthur said when the staring got too uncomfortable. “I might be getting a little heavier than usual.”

His servant almost dropped the plate he was holding. He quickly set it on the table, and proceeded to stare at Arthur as if he was trying to discover a second nose somewhere on his body.  
“Did you get enchanted again?”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Of course I didn’t.”

Merlin squinted. “Normal Arthur would never admit I’m right. It happens a lot, so I should know.”

“Why are you even complaining? I’m letting you eat the rest of my food!”

The hand bringing yet another sausage to Merlin’s mouth stopped in its tracks, letting the fat drip audibly onto the floor. “It’s poisoned, isn’t it? I knew it was too good to be true.” He lowered the sausage onto the plate again with the face of a man who was burying his dog.

Arthur threw his hands up in exasperation.

“For crying out loud, Merlin! The food is perfectly fine, I just think you need it more than I do.” He motioned to the whole of Merlin, as if that somehow proved his point. “You look like a sigh could blow you over. If you lose more weight the guards will think the skeleton army is back.”

Merlin subjected him to a particularly vulgar gesture, that would definitely have landed him in the stocks if he’d made it at a more self-respecting noble. As it was, though, he could return to his plate unscathed.

“If this is some kind of test, I honestly don’t care if I’m failing it,” Merlin decided, and shovelled the food into his mouth.

*

Merlin was starting to feel very guilty for calling Arthur fat. It had been nothing more than a joke, but the prince had taken it uncharacteristically serious this time. He kept presenting Merlin with clothes that were supposedly too tight, and should therefore be transposed to his servant’s wardrobe. Merlin had tried to object, had even shown him that many of his clothes had unnecessary inseams, the removal of which would make them fit again. Arthur just waved him away, and told him not to worry.

Arthur had also told him not to worry about the food. It had become a daily ritual for them to share the food on Arthur’s plate. There was always plenty to feed two, and Merlin would never complain, except it seemed strange to solve the problem in such a way. It would be much easier to just ask the cook to prepare less – if anything, she had started making more breakfast, as if she knew she was feeding two hungry mouths. Still, Merlin was only a servant. He was almost certain these delicacies were not meant for him.

But Merlin liked their little routine far too much to complain. Those quiet moments had quickly become his favourite part of the day. It was much easier to rise knowing there was a warm breakfast waiting for him, which he would eat hunched over one plate with Arthur. Merlin could easily procure a second plate, but that would mean missing the accidental brushes when they both aimed for the same piece of bread. And Merlin wouldn’t miss those for the world.

So he didn’t complain about the breakfast. And he didn’t complain when that strange tear appeared in Arthur’s sheets. It was long and straight, as if made by a knife. It was also easily repairable, as Merlin had tried to explain. But Arthur had muttered something about dignity, that princes couldn’t sleep under stitched up sheets, and that he had asked for new ones anyways. Besides, it was getting colder, so Merlin could probably use some extra sheets? And Merlin had to admit that they were incredibly soft and warm. They also smelled a lot like Arthur, which was definitely steering his dreams in a dangerous direction. Still, he didn’t complain. He also didn’t complain when Arthur bought him new winter boots, or when Arthur insisted that the scarf Morgana had given him was terribly unprincely, or even when Arthur decided that it was useless for Merlin to hang around during training, and that he might as well take those hours off.

But the coat was just too much.

“I cannot accept this,” the warlock declared. The coat Arthur was offering him was beautiful, but it was far too valuable. The insides were laced with warm brown fur, and the buttons were covered in gold. It was a coat for a prince, not for a servant.

The prince in question, though, seemed awfully persistent the servant wear it.

“Gwen spent all this time adding fur to it,” he said. “She couldn’t know that the extra layer would make it this tight. Don’t let her hard work go to waste.”

See, there it was again. Arthur kept insisting that his clothes were too small, but it simply wasn’t true. In spite of Merlin’s jests and the tight clothes, Arthur didn’t actually look like he’d gained any weight. Merlin should know – he had taken it upon himself to investigate the matter, uhh, _thoroughly_, when he was dressing the prince. He told himself it was only to further his understanding of what exactly was going on with Arthur these days. That was the only reason to let his eyes wander every time he undressed his friend. Obviously. And his observations had proved very useful, if somewhat haunting. Either way, there was no way Arthur had gained as much weight as he claimed. There was something else going on here.

Merlin took another look at the coat. It really was beautiful. The dark blue felt was decorated with swirling patterns in black thread, and the furs inside must have come from a most majestic animal, a bear maybe. Merlin could only imagine how warm it must be, a perfect protection against the cold wind that was whipping up again now that winter was nearing. Of course, it would be a waste to give such a precious garment to a servant. Merlin would only filthy it when going around his chores. Then again, it would be nice to have something to keep him warm when Arthur took him on a quest again. And those colours really would look much better on someone with dark hair than they would on the golden prince…

Oh.

Arthur must have seen the realisation in his eyes, because he smiled sheepishly and shrugged. Merlin noticed that the prince’s cheeks were slightly pink.  
“Why?” was all Merlin managed to bring out, after looking for words for several moments.

Arthur shrugged again. He was definitely blushing now. “You need it more than I do.”

Merlin knew he must look very stupid, with his mouth hanging open and bewildered eyes. “So all this time… The clothes, the food-“

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Arthur offered quickly, “but you are very stubborn, and you never would have agreed. But I figured that you wouldn’t object if it were just hand-me-downs. And I really have enough clothes as it is, I can miss a few things, so I asked Gwen to take in some clothes for me, and for the cook to prepare a bigger breakfast and they were very eager to help, you know you really looked like you needed it, and it’s almost winter and I know you are a rubbish servant but I can’t just let you die of hunger or cold, and I know the coat is a bit much but it just reminded me of you, and if you weren’t so stubborn you would know that there’s nothing wrong with that and just take the damn thing. Also, did I mention that you’re stubborn?”

Arthur tried to pose the last sentence with as much authority as he could manage after rattling about worrying about his servant. He failed miserably, and Merlin couldn’t help but smile at the way the red crept up unto his hairline. Arthur actually looked kind of guilty, as if he had done something wrong, said too much. For a brief moment, Merlin wondered if he had. But even if that was the case, the warm tenderness filling his chest made it impossible to be angry with the beautiful, fumbling fool in front of him.

“I can have Gwen replace the golden buttons if you want,” Arthur mumbled when Merlin still didn’t respond. “I just wanted to keep you warm.”

“Well, it did help. I think I might have gained some weight, and you have given me enough clothes to go outside in the Northern winter and come back sweating.”

He smiled, and took a step in Arthur’s direction. Maybe it was terribly rash of Merlin to act this way. Yet, seeing how much Arthur cared for him, even if he wouldn’t admit it, Merlin thought the prince might not mind at all.

Your room is still a lot warmer than mine,” Merlin admitted, taking a careful step towards Arthur. They were very close now, and the prince’s eyes widened, but he didn’t step away. Merlin could hear how heavy his breathing was, could feel Arthur’s gaze resting on his lips.

“Yeah, it is,” the prince brought out, voice a little croaky, eyes never leaving Merlin’s face.

“Wouldn’t want me to freeze at night, after all your hard work to keep me warm?” He raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a smirk at the sight of Arthur so utterly flustered.

The prince was completely dumbstruck. He opened his mouth a couple of times, but closed it right away, like a fish gasping out of the water. It was a very good look on him, Merlin decided, this kind of wordlessness.

Closing the distance between them, Merlin pressed his lips to Arthur’s. For a moment, Arthur didn’t respond at all, and Merlin worried that he might have gone too far. Then, Arthur’s brain kicked in, and he was kissing back with a force that Merlin had never thought possible. He tried to keep his lips working, tasting this beautiful, wonderful prince, but he was a bit distracted by the soaring in his chest.

When he stepped back to look at his prince, Arthur’s face was lit up by the most brilliant smile Merlin had ever seen. It was very hard to suppress a smile of his own, so Merlin didn’t try.

“I think I can live with this,” he whispered, a foolish grin on his face as he leaned into Arthur again, pressing their foreheads together. “With you keeping me warm.”


End file.
